OLYMPIA — Gov. Bob Ferguson on Thursday signed landmark legislation that prohibits local, state, and federal law enforcement officers — including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents operating in Washington — from wearing face-concealing masks while interacting with the public. Substitute Senate Bill 5855, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), establishes a standard for police transparency and accountability, requiring officers to reveal their faces when performing public law enforcement duties. The measure responds to ongoing immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration, during which masked ICE and CBP agents conceal their identities, creating fear and terror for families and communities across Washington and the country. “In communities across Washington, and across America, ...
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About Javier
Javier Valdez is the proud son and grandson of farmworkers and laborers. A product of public education, Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College, the City University of New York, as a participant in the National Urban Fellows program. Javier has worked for the City of Seattle for over 20 years, where he led Seattle City Light’s women and minority business (WMBE) program, served as a special assistant on WMBE programs in the Seattle Mayor’s Office, and currently as a senior equity and inclusion advisor with the City of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services Department.
Javier is chair of the State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee and is a member of the Law and Justice and Transportation committees.
Read Javier’s full biography here.
Javier in the News
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill to prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while interacting with the public had its first hearing before a House committee on Wednesday.
The Washington state Senate voted Wednesday to ban law enforcement from covering their faces in response to growing concerns over masked federal immigration agents. Senate Bill 5855 would cover local, state and federal law enforcement, with limited exceptions ...
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